Hernando’s Fran Kelly named Gatorade Mississippi girls basketball player of the year

Hernando guard Fran Kelly has been named the Gatorade Mississippi girls basketball player of the year for the 2024-25 season.

Kelly is the winner of the girls basketball award from Hernando.

The 5-foot-10 junior led the Lady Tigers to a 22-7 record and an appearance in the quarterfinals of the MHSAA Class 7A state playoffs. She averaged 26 points, 4.3 steals, 3.9 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game.

Kelly won 7A-Region 1 player of the year, was named MHSAA 7A Miss Basketball and was a 2024-25 Clarion Ledger Dandy Dozen selection.

“She is a phenomenal athlete and basketball player,” Lafayette coach Shayne Linzy said in a news release. “She not only displays a high IQ for the game, but she has the ability to make plays all over the court. With all that ability, she still gets her teammates involved as much as possible.”

She has offers from Clemson, Louisiana Lafayette, Southeast Missouri State, Austin Peay, Mercer and Southern Miss.

Kelly joins recent Gatorade Mississippi girls basketball winners Macie Phifer (2023-24, Ingomar), Madison Booker (2020-23, Germantown) and Debreasha Powe (2021-22, Meridian).

Michael Chavez covers high school sports, among others, for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at mchavez@gannett.com or reach out to him on X, formerly Twitter @MikeSChavez.